Character-based zoning at Frank Jones Center rejected

Client wants to build above 60 ft.

PORTSMOUTH — The Planning Board on Thursday rejected a City Council idea that a 12-acre property with seven buildings, including the 29,000-square-foot Frank Jones Center function hall, be rezoned to a character-based district.

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By Elizabeth Dinan

seacoastonline.com

By Elizabeth Dinan

Posted Aug. 23, 2014 at 2:00 AM

By Elizabeth Dinan
Posted Aug. 23, 2014 at 2:00 AM

» Social News

PORTSMOUTH — The Planning Board on Thursday rejected a City Council idea that a 12-acre property with seven buildings, including the 29,000-square-foot Frank Jones Center function hall, be rezoned to a character-based district.

The property is for sale for $8.7 million and the council asked the board for a recommendation about rezoning it for possible public-private use. The goal of character-based zoning is to mirror design of surrounding properties when renovating and building new neighboring properties.

Local lawyer Bernie Pelech appeared before the board on behalf of Portsmouth Acquisition, which he said owns 66 percent and 12 acres of the Frank Jones Center property and does not want it as a character-based district. Pelech said his client has met with many developers and heard many proposals, most of which involve mixed-used designs with small businesses on the ground floor and residential units above. He said most also incorporate some work-force housing units, which he said in today's market cost about $283,000 a unit.

He said the property owner would like to be able to build higher than normally allowed, to 60 feet, in exchange for including 10 percent work-force housing. Pelech suggested created a zoning district he called the urban bypass district.

"We're not trying to create a Portwalk on this site," he said, referencing the large Portwalk development in the downtown.

Pelech said when character-based zoning was first proposed, there were meetings, public hearings and so-called charettes to study the idea and collect public input over the course of many months. He said that was a good thing and the same consideration should be given to rezoning his client's real estate.

Pelech said character zoning was implemented for the oldest section of Portsmouth, where buildings are 200 to 300 years old. The Frank Jones Center property is surrounded by car lots and businesses, which the city should not want to replicate on the Frank Jones Center property. Pelech said if the property were designated as in a character-based district, everything would have to be approved by the Historic District Commission.

"How ridiculous is that?" he asked.

Chris McInnis, sales agent for the property, told the Planning Board that changing the zoning of that property to character-based would cause a "drastic devaluation" of the real estate.

"It's important to get this rezoned properly," McInnis said, while adding that redevelopment of the site could lead to the "new West End."

Islington Street resident Paul Mannle called the idea of rezoning that area "spot zoning," and said if the city wants to rezone it, it should buy it.

After some discussion, the Planning Board voted to advise the City Council that it would like a zoning change for the Frank Jones site, "but not this one." The board recommended that the city conduct further study of the parcel, as well as of surrounding properties.